Lucky Break

Lucky Break

2001 ""
Lucky Break
Lucky Break

Lucky Break

6.2 | 1h47m | en | Comedy

Half-way through his 12-year prison sentence for an incompetent armed robbery, Jimmy Hands gets a lucky break: he's transferred to a prison from which he can probably escape. He convinces the governor to stage a musical in an old chapel next to the prison's outer wall. He rounds up volunteer actors and puts his escape plan into production. Two other barriers, besides the wall, confront him: the arrival of a nasty inmate, John Toombes, who insists on joining the escape, and Jimmy's feelings of attraction for Anabel, a social worker who agrees to appear in the play. Opening night approaches: is this Jimmy's breakout performance?

View More
AD

WATCH FREEFOR 30 DAYS

All Prime Video
Cancel anytime

Watch Now
6.2 | 1h47m | en | Comedy , Crime | More Info
Released: August. 24,2001 | Released Producted By: Paramount , Miramax Country: United States of America Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:
Synopsis

Half-way through his 12-year prison sentence for an incompetent armed robbery, Jimmy Hands gets a lucky break: he's transferred to a prison from which he can probably escape. He convinces the governor to stage a musical in an old chapel next to the prison's outer wall. He rounds up volunteer actors and puts his escape plan into production. Two other barriers, besides the wall, confront him: the arrival of a nasty inmate, John Toombes, who insists on joining the escape, and Jimmy's feelings of attraction for Anabel, a social worker who agrees to appear in the play. Opening night approaches: is this Jimmy's breakout performance?

...... View More
Stream Online

The movie is currently not available onine

Cast

James Nesbitt , Olivia Williams , Timothy Spall

Director

Andrew Munro

Producted By

Paramount , Miramax

AD

Watch Free for 30 Days

All Prime Video Movies and TV Shows. Cancel anytime.

Watch Now

Trailers & Images

Reviews

Jackson Booth-Millard From director Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty), this is a pretty good prison break-out comedy with an all-star cast. James 'Jimmy' Hands (James Nesbitt) is halfway through a 12-year sentence for an attempted armed robbery, and he gets a lucky break, he's transferred to a prison seemingly easier to escape from. He convinces Governor Graham Mortimer (The Sound of Music's Christopher Plummer) to stage a musical based on the life of Nelson in the old chapel, next to one outer wall. Rounding up volunteer actors and production members, including Cliff Gumbell (Timothy Spall), Roger 'Rog' Chamberlain (Bill Nighy) and ex-robbery partner Rudy 'Rud' Guscott (Snatch's Lennie James), and the leading lady played by new love interest Annabel Sweep (Olivia Williams), his plan seems to be going well. So, after the arrival of nasty inmate John Toombes (Frank Harper), and the death of Cliff, it comes to the night of the musical, and Jimmy plans his "break-out performance", along with a couple of the other players, but in the end, Jimmy decides to stay for Annabel, while the others get away with it, and Jimmy is released in the end anyway. Also starring Ron Cook as Mr. Perry the Guard, Julian Barratt as Paul Dean and Celia Imrie as Amy Chamberlin. The jokes are very light, but the performances are all good, and the story has its moments, it's certainly worth a go. Good!
jofitz27 Lucky break is stupid. In fact, so stupid it's reasonably laughable. But it's also entertaining. Very entertaining. Filled with great comic sketches, as well as heart-touching moments, this film is definitely worth £3.50 and a bag of extra-large popcorn.Starting off, two men are arrested, and put into jail, which they find very uncomfortable. They want out. So they hatch a ludicrous scheme that just couldn't work...or could it? Some good acting (espcially by Timothy Spall) leads this film well on it's way to the thumbs up. Funny, touching and hugely, hugely enjoyable, Lucky break should be just the antidote to a long, stressful day.Overall: **** out of ***** (4 out of 5)
Cylex This may not be one of the best comedies but I can give you one reason for watching it. Timothy Spall. Although he's only in the film for a short time he gives a genuinely moving performance. The others had their moments but were harder to empathise with. There are a number of humorous scenes, especially when they are rehearsing the musical. The main plot is thin but I was satisfied at the end. The credits are brilliant so don't even think of switching off. 6/10
boc Please stop comparing this film to The Full Monty. The comparison is irrelevant. It is not, and never intends to be, a sequel to Monty.Please do have a look at this film as it is, actually, very good, with some well observed and interesting performances. Some reviews on here give the impression the film is unfunny. Not so. It works well as a light comedy/romance.Worth seeing too as an example of good British cinema. I wonder what Hollywood would have done with the script..? (On second thought... Let's not go there).Well done (again) Film Four.